"Hah! We're Back!"

From: Bill Figenshu

Dear Tom and Ray,

I listen to your show via podcast every week without fail. For years, each week, your problem-solving insights have provided me with hours of entertainment (relatively speaking). However, there's one thing that puzzles me. Each week at the begining of the third segment when you come back from the break, you always begin with the word "Hah," then, "We're back!" You never say it at any other time in the hour, only at about 40 minutes into the show. Why "Hah"? Why at that exact time? I have tried to guess and here's what I have come up with:

When you say "Hah" it's an alarm to wake up your producers, phone screeners, and other staff who have fallen asleep during your show.

It's an alarm to wake up your listeners who have fallen asleep listening to your show.

"Hah" is a secret code for the NPR affiliates informing them that the show will soon be over and to prepare some "good" programming to get the listeners back!